


Canis Canem Voro

by jubileus



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bi!Eren, Blood, Bullying, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional neglect, F/F, F/M, Fighting, M/M, Minor Annie Leonhart/Eren Yeager, Toxic Relationships, Violence, latinx!Eren, minor scifi elements, there is eruri in this i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2018-08-29 01:08:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8469916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jubileus/pseuds/jubileus
Summary: “Beating two students into a bloody pulp comes off as excessive, Eren.”After his third expulsion, Eren is sent off to Saint Sina’s Academy- where everyone seems to either want to fight him, or fuck him. AU, multiple pairings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is inspired by the video game “bully” (hence the title) and also my own twisted little brain.   
> warning: ereri isn’t endgame, so don’t get too jazzed. also be mindful of the other warnings listed!

It really wasn’t Eren’s fault this time. Unlike the case with the last two schools, he had been _trying_ to do the right thing. Sure, he had only spent a little over two months at the last remaining public High School in Shiganshina that would take him. And yes, he had a couple of prior infractions that, in retrospect, could’ve been easily avoided. But still, Eren maintains that he was only doing the right thing, when he had brutally pummeled two would-be bullies after the football game last week.

“That’s a terrible attitude to have.” His father tells him. They’re in the car, driving down the road of a leafy, wooded area. Though unfamiliar with this part of the district, Eren knows they’re approaching the outer limits of Shiganshina. There are two suitcases in the backseat; one is Eren’s, and one is Grisha’s. “You knew what the rules were about fighting. There are other ways you could have handled the situation.”

“Both coaches walked right by Armin being harassed and didn’t do anything. How was I _supposed_ to handle it?”

Grisha looks towards the heavens. “Beating two students into a bloody pulp comes off as excessive, Eren.”

“They threatened to _find_ him. I changed their minds. Funny how the school board didn’t ask for Armin’s statement.”

“Because it’s easier to not ask those questions, and just expel you.”

Grisha was never not right when it came to advice on matters like these. However, his detachment to the situations- as if Eren were a patient instead of his son- disturbed the already-troubled teenager. After his mother died, it was like a wall had been put up between Eren and his father. 

Or maybe it had already existed, and it just wasn’t noticeable when Carla was alive.

Eren sighs heavily, then leans back in the passenger seat. “Yeah… you’re right. Lucky you had this back-up, huh?”

“Don’t take this opportunity lightly. I had to pull a few strings to get you enrolled so late. A member of the board owed me a favor.” 

Eren snorts. “You do favors for all sorts of people, don’t you, dad?”

Grisha glances over for the first time since the start of the car ride. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing.” Eren wants to call Mikasa, even though he knows she won’t pick up. He squeezes his phone in his hand as a distraction. She hadn’t spoken to him once since he was expelled on Friday- not counting the text she had sent that same afternoon. **_It’s over._**

They drive through the tall iron gates of Saint Sina’s Academy, starting up on the winding driveway to the estates. “So, what happens if I’m expelled from this dump, too?”  


“You won’t, son.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’m warning you.” Suddenly, Grisha’s face is cast in shadow. “You’re 17, Eren. I can’t continue to make excuses for you anymore. You know what’s right and what’s wrong, by now.”

“So what are you saying?”

“If you’re expelled again, that’s it for you. Don’t bother returning home.” Grisha says neutrally, as if he weren’t threatening to put his son on the streets. The ornate main building of the Academy comes into view, looming higher and higher as the car approaches. “Any questions?”

“Just one. Why do you only seem get involved with my life after I get in trouble?” Eren responds with an equal measure of casualty. The threat concerns him, but truthfully, his father wasn’t home enough to know if Eren were living there or not. “As a doctor, shouldn’t you see the obvious correlation between your absence and my behavior?”

“Great question.” Grisha brings the car to an abrupt stop. “Now, get out. I’ve got a flight to catch.”

**\- x-**

Saint Sina’s Academy was established in 1878, originally a school for boys. It features a sprawling, immaculate estate, with four separate dorm buildings, two football fields, four tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a modern science building, and the largest library in a 3-state radius. Tuition ran at about 80,000/year. Eren had never even seen that much money.

“If anyone asks, tell them you’re on a scholarship.” Grisha had said in the car. 

Eren had scoffed at that. What scholarship would he be eligible for? He didn’t play sports, or any sort of instrument, and his test scores were average. “Whatever, dad.”

After being dropped off, he enters the main building and checks in with the Registrar. She has him sign a few forms before introducing him to Ymir, his student guide. She’s a tall, brown skinned young woman with attractive features, pursed in a permanent bitchface. “Let’s go, you little thug.” she tells him. “I got other things I need to do today.”

 _Don’t be confrontational right away, don’t be confrontational right away…_ still, it slips out. “What the _fuck_ did you call me?”

Ymir stops on the steps, crossing her arms. “You better get used to it. Your reputation precedes you.” 

“ _What_ reputation?”

Ymir rolls her eyes. “Look, I’m telling you this so you don’t get caught off guard. Most people know why you’re here, and what your father did to get you enrolled.”

Eren didn’t even know the details of his own enrollment, but he wasn’t going to let Ymir know that. “Okay, and? What’s the problem?”

“The problem is, you’re an outsider. You don’t come from money, and you didn’t earn your place here. You can’t offer the school shit, unless you have some secret, bankable talent. You’re only here because you have no place else to be.”

“Like I don’t know that.” Eren is surprised by her lack of tact, but not ungrateful. 

Ymir stares at him, evenly. “Just make sure you know how to watch your own back. The privileged fucks at this school love having new blood to pick on. And you’re something special.”

She descends the stairs before Eren can ask her to clarify.

He follows her outside, and Ymir takes him on a brief tour. She points out the gym, the English Department, and the Dining Hall before a cute blond girl catches her eye. She gestures vaguely towards his dorm building, then ditches him almost instantly.

Eren finds the building on his own. The RA on duty gives him an unreadable look as she passes him the key to his room. When he opens the door on the fifth floor, he discovers that he’d be living in a single. _Good._

A nasty scent hits his nose as Eren enters the room. When he turns the lights on, he spots the source of the smell: the corpse of a large bird, cut open and rotting atop his mattress. 

“Fucking _gross_.”

He drops his suitcase, then runs to the window to pry it open. It doesn’t provide much relief. With a dark scowl, he begins the disgusting task of wrapping the bird up with his bedsheets.

“They got you with the dead bird gag, did they?”

A stranger pops his head in through the open door. “I’m Connie. Just down the hall from ya.” Connie steps into the room, then retches. “Oh, yuck. Must’ve been a bigger bird than usual. You can crash in my dorm, if you want.”

“Thanks.” Eren says, surprised. “I’m Eren.”

“Yeah—everyone knows who you are.”

Connie tells him about himself on their way down to the dumpster and back. Only child, grew up poor, received an engineering scholarship to the Academy. “Just like you, eh?” He jabs Eren in the ribs with a wink.

“Jesus. Does everyone know that I’m not here on scholarship?” Eren asks.

“Mostly. It’s already unusual for someone to transfer in during the middle of the school year. Plus… we’ve all seen the video.”

“What video?”

“Of you fucking up those two guys after the game!” Connie exclaims. “Man, you went viral with that one.”

“Wait… what?” Eren hadn’t even known he was being filmed while the incident was taking place. Everything had happened incredibly fast—the fight after the game, the expulsion the following morning, his father telling him to pack his things less than a week later.

“Dude!” Connie takes out his phone. With a few taps he’s pulled up the video. Eren watches, wide-eyed, as he fights the two boys from the rival high school. It felt surreal, watching himself punch, duck, kick and stomp one body onto the ground, slam his fist into the nose of the other, sending blood spurting. Even after they were both knocked down, Eren leapt onto the body of the main instigator and continued his pummeling. Armin can be seen in a brief frame of the recording, watching the brutal beating with an even expression.

Connie cuts the video off. “You were like a monster out there.”

Eren has to agree. He sometimes loses control in his effort to do the right thing… a character trait that Mikasa had warned him about, multiple times. Now there is actual video evidence of Eren’s tendency to go too far. _This must be why she’s ghosting me._

He holds open the front door to their dorm for Connie. As he does, he notices three figures watching him from the shadowed entrance of the building across the street. Eren stops and glares back at them. The figure in the middle grins menacingly, before the trio heads off toward the east side of campus.

Connie waits for Eren to catch up, having witnessed the exchange. His expression has turned slightly grim. He holds up his phone, with the still of Eren snarling and bloody still onscreen.

“Unfortunately… now everybody wants a piece of you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Eren sleeps in Connie’s room for two nights before the foul odor fades from his own room. Connie’s roommate, Marco, apparently spent most nights over at the dorm across the street. Eren is grateful for the kindness of his new friend. However, _kind_ isn’t a word he’d use to describe the rest of the student body at Saint Sina’s.

People stare at him when he walks across campus. They whisper when he passes in the hallways between classes. Students seemed either afraid of him or angry at him, and Eren has no idea how to shake this image.

“Everyone here has some sort of problem with me.” Eren laments to Armin, who calls him on Eren’s third night in the dorms. “I don’t fucking get it. They don’t even know me!”  


“But, they know what you can do.” Armin points out. “If the video really is as popular as you say it is, then people have good reason to be afraid of you.”  


“Not people.” Eren corrects. “Bullies. Rabid dogs. Everyone else, I’m nice to.”

“Well, without that context, you just look like some… unhinged new kid.” Armin says, as delicately as possible. “I mean, your record kind of speaks for itself.”  


Eren could understand that perception, albeit grudgingly. But how could he combat it?  


“So….” Armin starts. “Mikasa is really, really pissed at you.”

Eren falls back on his bed, throwing his arm over his eyes. “No shit. I’ve been blowing up her phone since Friday. She hasn’t answered once.”

“Yeah… cause she’s like, really, _really_ pissed.” Armin reiterates. “She’s hurt because you promised her you’d stop fighting, and embarrassed because the video went viral.”

“The second part wasn’t my fault! And the only reason I even got into that damn fight was because I was trying to defend you.”

“Do you think that really matters to her?”

Eren is silent. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t remember the promise he had made to his now ex-girlfriend. But some exceptions were allowable, right? If he couldn’t fight to defend his friends, then who would?

“Eren?” Armin asks.

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

Armin pauses.

“…you’ve really got to get your anger under control. I say this as your friend.”

Eren groans loudly. “I _know_. I’m working on it, okay? Tell Mikasa… tell her that I’m working on it.”

“I will.” Armin says. “Anyway, some good news—I’ve been accepted into Saint Sina’s student engineering program. So, I’ll be on your campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next six months.”

“Dude! _Fuck_ yes!” Eren jumps from his bed at the thought of having a familiar face around. “Oh, and congratulations.”

Armin laughs on the other end of the line and promises to see him soon. Eren feels better than he has in days.

That night, he decides to text Mikasa one last time, adding to the pile of unread blue text squares in their conversation history.

**_I’m working on being a better person. Love you._ **

**-x-**

The next day at lunch, someone comes up from behind Eren and slams his face onto the sneeze guard over the prepared food. Eren smells his own blood before whirling around, fists already flying. However—the assailant manages to duck. They’re wearing a hoodie, and are able to easily disappear back amongst the long line of students waiting to be served. Eren looks around, bleeding and bewildered. No one tries to catch the attacker. No one asks him if he’s alright.

“Stop holding up the line, freak!” Someone yells. The lunch ladies glare at him for getting his blood on the barrier.

Eren grabs his tray and heads to a circle table near the back corner. He snarls at the three freshmen already seated, and they scatter in fear. He dumps his food down and takes a position with his back to the wall, to ensure that no one could sneak up on him. Then he curses when he realizes that his nose is dripping like a faucet and he hadn’t grabbed any napkins on the way over.

“Here.”

Despite the vantage point, Eren still manages to get snuck up on. A stack of napkins is thrust in front of his face.

“You’re dripping all over yourself.” The stranger says. He has an indifferent gaze, though it’s locked intensely onto Eren- and there’s something flashing in his eyes.

Eren accepts the offering, following the line of the stranger’s arm up to his face, uniquely handsome and emotionless. There’s something about him that reminds Eren of Mikas—Eren tamps down on that thought right away. “…Thanks.”

“No problem.” The student’s voice, deep and gravely, stirs up something dormant within Eren. “…even if the blood looks good on your pretty face.”

And then the stranger was gone. Eren couldn’t even stare after him properly. He raises the stack of napkins to his nose absent-mindedly, replaying the short exchange over and over in his mind.

“ _Holy shit._ ” Connie, finally off the lunch line, sets his tray on the table. “And sorry about your nose, dude. But, what did he say to you?”

“Who, the short guy? He gave me some napkins and hit on me… I think.”

“Don’t let anyone hear you call him ‘the short guy’.” Connie warns Eren with a shudder. “That’s Levi Ackerman… he’s a 12th year, Polo Captain, Krav Maga Coach, all around hardass… did he really hit on you?”

“Yeah, he did.” Eren says, slightly muffled as he dabs blood from his nose. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to be broken. “Don’t sound so shocked.”

“It’s not about you.” Connie tells him, passing the other teen his own napkins, just in case. “It’s just… I mean, him and the AD have been dating since like, way before I got here.”

“Huh. Is that so? Isn’t that like, illegal?”

Connie shrugs. “Not many people here play by the rules.”

**-x-**

After the incident at lunch, Eren doubles his attempts to lay low. By the middle of his second week, he’s developed an easy pattern of leaving for class early and returning to the dorms later. One Thursday night, he’s on his way back from the Dining Hall, passing through an area with slightly denser trees than most, when he gets the sense that he’s being followed.

Eren stops, still a quarter of the way left until he reached his dorm. 

“What do you want?” He asks aloud.

He’s answered only by the sharp wind whistling through the tall campus trees.

“I said, who the fuck is there?”

When the punch comes, he’s ready for it. He dodges the blow and answers with a jab to the assailant’s abdomen, knocking the breath out of them. Eren’s follow-up attack is blocked, and he’s forced to evade a roundhouse kick that would have sent him crashing to the floor.

The assailant is just under his height, with pale skin. The rest of their features are hidden beneath a hood. “Who are you?” Eren grunts. The assailant stays silent as they trade blow for blow in the darkness.

“Hey!” A female voice calls out across the quad.

Eren doesn’t allow himself to get distracted. He’s going to end this, now. He grabs a hold of the front of the stranger’s hoodie, twisting his grip tightly into the fabric to lift them from the ground. A few strands of light colored hair escape from beneath the hood. Then the person slams their forehead against Eren’s, forcing him to release his hold and drop them to the ground. They stumble, but then kick Eren’s legs out beneath him, sending him crashing.

“HEY!” The voice says again, accompanied by the sound of trainers pounding across cobblestone.

Eren reaches for his attacker and nearly gets a hold of their arm. They tear away at the last second, tuck into a roll and spring up into a sprint, headed in the direction that Eren came. Eren struggles to get to his feet and chase after then, but is stopped by a tight grip on his own arm.

It’s the girl Ymir ditched him for on his first day. Eren yanks his arm from her grasp. When he looks around, he can’t see where his assailant ran off to.

He whirls on the girl. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“Calm down.” She says, and reaches for him again, this time taking his hand. Eren is shocked at the familiar gesture, and realizes that he hasn’t had skin to skin contact with another human for weeks. She drags him down the path to the next streetlight, a few meters away.

“What are you-“

“Just relax.“ She shushes him. Under the streetlight, she gives him a once over, brushes dirt from his shirt, and hands him a tissue to wipe his face with. When he’s finished, she pulls him in close and takes out her phone. “Look.”

Eren looks down. He watches, incredibly confused, as the girl thumbs through her photos until she comes to what looks like a map of the campus. “I don’t— “

“Evening, Miss Reiss.”

The two teens look up. A pair of campus guards have approached, detouring from their usual patrol. They’ve each got a gun on their hip and a flashlight in hand, striking imposing figures in front of the streetlamp. The guard who hadn’t spoken shines the light directly in Eren’s face, making him wince.

“Hello!” The girl says, almost exaggeratedly friendly. “Can we help you with anything?”

“We heard that there was some sort of scuffle over here… is this kid bothering you?” The guard jerks his head towards Eren, but doesn’t look him in the eye. Eren feels anger boil up inside him once more. _They don’t even know me._

“No, not at all. He was just asking me for directions to the library.” The girl holds up her phone, revealing the map. “See?” 

The guard glances at the screen, then looks over at Eren for the first time. There’s a cold sneer on his face.

“Alright. The two of you stay out of trouble, you hear me?”

“Of course, Officer Sannes!” The girl says, smiling brightly. Eren says nothing, his fists clenched and shaking at his sides.

They wait in silence until the guards’ voices fade off in the distance up ahead. Then the girl breathes a sigh of relief. “Don’t let them catch you fighting. You’ll be expelled faster than you can say Saint Sina.”

“Who are you?” Is all Eren can say.

“Historia Reiss. And my _problem_ is- my girlfriend thinks that we should protect you.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please continue to be mindful of this story's warnings!

Eren and Armin meet in the library Thursday afternoon. Eren wants to hug his friend, but doesn’t want to reveal a potential weakness to anyone around them. Armin seems to understand.

The library is the oldest building on campus, and the tall, ancient structure lives up to its title as landmark status. Contrary to most libraries, this three-story building could be bustling at any given moment. Finding a secluded area is somewhat difficult for the childhood friends. When they finally do, the other students continue to hover around, murmuring amongst one another.

“You certainly do attract a crowd.” The blond remarks as they pull chairs from beneath a mahogany table.

“Yeah. I wish they’d BUZZ OFF.” Eren emphasizes the last part as loud as he dares. The students scatter like rats. Eren rolls his eyes while Armin laughs sympathetically.

After they both settle in, Eren leans in and begins to tell Armin of his encounter with Historia a few nights ago.

- **x** -  
_  
“Ymir?”_

_Eren found Historia’s words hard to believe. He hadn’t even seen Ymir since his first day on campus, three weeks prior._

_“Yeah. My bleeding-heart girlfriend.”_

_“But why?”_

_“Because you’re too friggin’ impulsive to survive at this school for long.” Historia gestured in the direction the guards went. “…as we’ve just witnessed.”_

_“What is_ wrong _with everyone here?” Eren shouted, advancing upon the girl without realizing it. “I’m being attacked constantly and you assholes expect me to just_ take _it?!”_

_Historia hushed him, nonplussed. “Who said you had to take anything? Use your damn brain, Yeager.”_

_Eren’s fists clench. “I_ am _using my—“_

_Historia cut him off with a sharp poke to his chest._

_“Listen to me!” From afar, Eren had considered her marble blue eyes sweet. Now they’ve narrowed into sharp darts. “Walking around by yourself at night is just asking for trouble. You need a strategy.”_

_“Well fucking_ suggest _something then! You’re not helping me by avoiding me like everyone else does.”_

_Historia flipped her golden hair behind her shoulder. “As if I would sacrifice my social standing for you. Newsflash, Eren: you don’t deserve to be here! But you don’t deserve to get beat up every day, either.”_

_“What do you mean, I don’t—“ But Historia had already turned away. Two bright lights flashed in the distance._

_“Just lay low and do what Ymir and I say. Otherwise…” Historia paused. “Well, even I don’t know what these people have in store for you.”_  
_Without so much as a wave, she jogged off towards the northern dormitories._  


- **x** -

“So… I’ve been laying low, like she told me to.” Eren concludes, sighing. “I don’t go anywhere at night, I try my best to not draw attention to myself… but it follows anyway, as you can see.”

Armin taps his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. “ _’You don’t deserve to be here’_ … that could be why everyone hates you.”

The brunet slumps back in his chair. “It could be, but… I mean, I guess I don’t really deserve to be here, and everyone knows it- but it seems like there’s more to it than that.”

“Do you think they know about…” Armin trails off, knowing that Eren would catch his meaning. 

Eren shrugs. “I don’t see how.” 

“Maybe it’s the video? They could be afraid of you.”

“That’s not it. Though I wish it was. If they were scared of me they’d leave me alone.” Eren sighs, scrubbing his face with his hand. “I always feel like there’s someone watching me. Like there’s no place for me to hide on this stupid campus.”

“Well… maybe you should quit hiding.” Armin says offhandedly, reaching into his bag to retrieve his study materials.

Eren blinks. “Hmm?”

“Like- why not take up a sport or something?” Armin drops a heavy textbook onto the desk. “It would keep you busy. And, devoting yourself to the success of a team might make students like you better. Y’know, turn the public’s opinion on your own.”

A sport… The last time Eren had participated in an organized sport was in Middle School. He had, of course, been kicked off the team for fighting. Still… he’s now older, and wiser, and much stronger.

Eren leans forward and grasps his friend’s hand, nearly knocking the textbook to the ground. “Armin. That’s brilliant.”

Armin smiles. “I know.”

- **x** -

The next day, in between his two afternoon classes, Eren stops by the Athletics Center. The building is the most modern on the entire campus; housing amenities such as two full gymnasiums, two weight rooms, an indoor pool, and indoor handball courts. The exterior is made entirely out of glass. Eren takes the stairs up to the second floor, then ventures down the hall before arriving at a set of red double doors.

He enters the room and hovers just at the edge of the doorway, ratty bag hanging from his shoulder, tie crooked at his neck. In the center, two boys are sparring in the boxing ring, with a crowd of students seated around them. The taller one, Eren doesn’t recognize. But his opponent…

It’s Levi Ackerman, from the cafeteria. Eren hasn’t seen the upperclassman since that fateful day a few weeks ago, but Levi has certainly been on his mind. In an effort to distract himself from thoughts of his girlfrie— _ex_ girlfriend-- Eren has turned his thoughts to the puzzling upperclassman… sometimes a few times a night.

Watching Levi fight is better than any of his fantasies. Levi is impressive in the ring- quick, flexible, and forceful when it counts. After dodging a high blow, Levi twists out of his opponent’s reach so quickly that it could’ve been an illusion. The larger male must have thought so as well, because the two seconds he wastes on confusion costs him the match. Levi knocks him to the ground with a series of punches and kicks that have the students cheering louder with every impact, and jumping to their feet when the large blond finally tumbles. Eyes wide, Eren claps along with everyone else.

The smaller male crouches down next to the blond and speaks briefly before stepping from the mat and accepting a towel from another student. He dries the sweat from his face and neck before draping the towel around his shoulders. After drinking deeply from a water bottle, Levi lifts his eyes and meets Eren’s gaze head on.

Eren does his best not to react, though it feels as if the entire world has just tilted. He has prepared himself for his next encounter with the upperclassman. Regardless of if he was flirting or not, Levi still showed kindness to Eren- and unlike Historia and Ymir, he didn’t care about doing it publicly.

And if he had been hitting on Eren… well, Eren hopes to find out one way or another.

Levi starts to approach, and reality realigns with a crash. Eren murmurs a small prayer in spanish before straightening up and adjusting his bag. 

The upperclassman comes to stand in front of him. “What do you want?” Levi asks, running a hand through his damp hair, pushing it away from his face.

What Eren _really_ wants is to freely ogle the athletic body in front of him. Instead he keeps his eyes ahead- well, slightly below his line of sight. “I was looking for Coach Shadis.”

“He’s gone for the day.” Levi’s eyes are glittering grey steel up close. His voice is- what Eren can only describe as a sexy, authoritative drawl. “Can I help you?”

Eren shrugs, as casually as he can. “Maybe. I want to join the football team.”

Levi snorts, giving him a once-over. “ _You?_ ”

Eren had expected that, having been underestimated his entire life. “I’m stronger than I look.” He leans closer to emphasize his height advantage, allowing his gaze to briefly take in the sight of Levi’s bare chest. “I could show you sometime, if you like.”

Upon returning to Levi’s face, Eren is pleased to see those compelling eyes flash. It’s some sort of reaction, at least.

Levi crosses his arms. “It’s not _me_ you have to impress, kid.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to.” Eren counters with a grin.

Levi holds his gaze, then wets his lower lip in a casual way. Eren can hardly process his next words. “Tryouts. Monday at 8, at the south field.”

“Will *you* be there?” Eren figures he might as well press his luck.

“At the end.”

“Well-- prepare to be impressed.” Eren says. 

Levi doesn’t say anything- at least, not with words. He sizes Eren up for a final time, then turns around and heads back towards the ring. Eren exhales, then ducks out quickly so no one can see his grin.

- **x** -

For Annie, the weekend can’t come fast enough. Her ribs are still sore from the other night, making moving around uncomfortable; and Reiner had an untimely episode that afternoon, keeping her from class for a good 20 minutes. What was even worse: After school, her thoughts wandered during track practice and she tripped up.

Utterly embarrassed, Annie decides to skip dinner and head back to her dorm. In the locker room, she does a few stretches before showering. Afterwards, she pulls on a clean hoodie and leggings, before grabbing her duffle bag and exiting the locker room, thinking only of collapsing into bed.

She’s stopped just outside the doors. “Smith wants to see you.” Says a slim figure, leaning against the wall to her left. It’s Nifa; she doesn’t look at Annie while conspicuously scrolling through her phone. “Right away, he said.”

Annie sighs heavily, and Nifa’s thumb pauses against her phone. Annie knows Nifa will report it if she sounds hesitant, so she starts off down the hall, opposite of the building’s exit.

She climbs the stairs to the third floor, thinking about that afternoon, and how she had bit it in front of everyone. _How humiliating…_ It was all because of… 

…that Yaeger boy. Thoughts of him keep invading her mind. What his father did was truly heinous, and Yaeger deserves to suffer for even daring to step foot on campus. Still… from afar, he doesn’t seem as arrogant as everyone said he was. And up close… well, the sound and smell of him keeps Annie up at night.

At the double oak doors, Annie hesitates. She pulls down her hood, then knocks. A masculine voice from inside invites her in, so she pushes open the doors as carefully as she can.

The Athletics Director is seated behind his desk, looking as respectable as always in a white button-down and slim green tie. Handsome and commanding, most people found themselves simultaneously at ease and terrified by him. Students and faculty alike bent to his will.

Perched on the edge of Smith’s desk is Levi Ackerman. Annie isn’t surprised by his presence- however, he seems more irritable than usual, eyeing her with a look that is twice as cold as anything she could muster.

“Thank you for coming, Ms. Leonhart.” AD Smith’s deep voice and pleasant tone can’t fool her into thinking she has a choice in the matter. Annie nods quickly, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

“You’ve done well in preserving the social integrity of Saint Sina’s.” Smith’s eyes, like sharp blue diamonds, bore into hers. “Extremely well. And now- I’ve got one last… _assignment_ for you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey kids, i'm back on tumblr! @jubileusthecreator
> 
> mind the warnings & enjoy!

AD Smith’s office is a stately palette of browns and golds. Trophies line rows upon rows of high shelving. Framed photos of athletics teams past decorate the walls. The sunset has the room glowing nostalgically, creating a deceptively welcoming environment. Annie wishes she were anyplace else but here. She shifts on the carpet, adjusting the strap of her weighty duffle bag.

“You seem tired, Annie.” AD Smith’s eyes glint behind the bright cast of his desk lamp. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Coach says no caffeine after 2.” Annie replies.

“Then I’ll get right to it.” Smith says. Levi is still glowering at her from the desk, and it’s starting to get under her skin. These two… while she isn’t by any means a saint, there’s something about AD Smith and Levi Ackerman that comes off as cruel to an almost monstrous degree.

“As you know, our distinguished academy has been put in an _extremely_ unfortunate predicament recently.” Smith articulates. “My superiors have asked me to deal with the problem. Which is why I tasked it to one of my best fighters.”

Levi emits a derisive snort. Annie turns her head before she realizes it, only to receive a dark look which conveys, _‘Say something. I dare you.’_

Quickly, Annie returns her gaze to the ground. She isn’t suicidal. Unlike that damn teal-eyed—

Annie groans mentally. _God, could this get any worse?_

“…Unfortunately, the results haven’t been forthcoming. I promised the higher-ups that our little problem would be dealt with before the winter semester.” Erwin steeples his fingers together. “So I must ask that you put an end to this on Monday.”

 _On Monday?_ Annie might be a champion fighter, but she can’t recover _that_ quickly. Not to mention the fact that every time she ran up on Yeager, he always managed to turn up the next day, looking good as new. “But AD Smith, he—“

Smiling pleasantly, Erwin holds up a hand. “Ms. Leonhart, did I ask you for an excuse?”

Annie grits her teeth. “No, sir.”

“Right. So you’ll be resting up this weekend, won’t you? Don’t even worry about your assignments.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Wonderful. I’m so glad to have such committed students. And, one more thing—bring Mr. Braun with you. He isn’t as agile, but should prove to be helpful.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you for your service to our school.” Smith gestures toward the double oak doors. “Dismissed.”

Annie nods stiffly, then turns and walks the ornate carpet as quickly as she dares.

“Don’t mess him up _too_ bad.” Levi drawls after her. Annie doesn’t know what to make of that. She slips through the double doors, wipes the sweat from her temple, and takes off down the hallway before anyone else can see her.

Back inside the spacious office, Erwin turns to his laptop and begins tapping at the keys. “You sound almost sympathetic.” He mentions offhandedly, pulling up some files on the screen.

“He’s just some punk.” Levi shrugs, keeping his back to Erwin. “Dunno why all of y’all are losing your fucking minds over him.”

“Well, there’s his incredibly concerning viral video, to start with.”

Levi waves him off. “Haven’t seen it, don’t care.” A lie; Levi has watched the video, multiple times. “And so what, anyway? You had no problem bringing someone like _me_ to this bougie place.”

“That was much different.” Erwin is still typing away. There was once a time when he’d call Levi out on his disrespectful body language. Now he doesn’t even seem to notice it. “Dr. Yeager’s successful blackmail of Dean Zackley sets a dangerous precedent… for _all_ of us.” The AD finishes pointedly.

“Oh?” Levi twists his upper body to face the blond, shocked to hear Erwin’s borderline acknowledgement of their relationship. “And how would it affect _us_?”

Erwin continues as if Levi hadn’t said anything. “Additionally, due to that video, Yeager’s presence damages the reputation of Saint Sina’s each day he remains on campus. We simply cannot have such a dangerous brute besmirching our public image.”

Levi rolls his eyes and slides off Erwin’s desk. “As opposed to all of the dangerous brutes on your teams, who do violence in secret?”

“Exactly.” Erwin finally looks up to meet Levi’s gaze. “Discretion is everything, Levi.”

“Oh yeah?” Levi uses this opportunity to stretch upwards with a blatantly sexual sigh. When he brings his arms down he sees that Erwin has returned his attention back to the screen. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Please do. And on that note…” Erwin gestures to the stack of paperwork in his inbox. “…I’ve got these forms to finish up.” _So please go elsewhere_ is left unsaid. Levi wants to fight the man who was once so eager to excite him. Yet, he knows his words will just go to waste.

“I was just leaving, anyway.” Levi responds, unable to muster up any sort of bite or smarm. In his head, he turns over the word Erwin used.  
_Discretion… hm._ “See you around, Smith.”

**-x-**

On Monday morning, Eren is running late. 

After awakening from an odd dream that involved Mikasa, Levi, and an assortment of bloody knives, Eren discovers that he snoozed his alarm eight times when he should’ve only done it six. He showers and dresses in a hurry, before racing from his dorm and towards Stohess Hall. 

Once inside the building, he dashes up the main staircase to the fourth floor. He skids around a corner and then, before he can stop himself, goes crashing into a slim blond girl just outside of a classroom. Her binder and papers go flying, and she herself would’ve hit the ground painfully if Eren didn’t catch her around the waist at the last second.

“I’m so sorry!” Eren exclaims, panting as he steadies the girl. Annie is near frozen in shock. Her lower back tingles beneath Eren’s warm hand. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah.” Annie looks directly up at Eren for the first time, taking in his sharp jawline and smooth brown skin. His thick eyebrows are narrowed in concern, smooth bright teal eyes searching hers. _He’s so handsome…_ she observes distantly, before pulling away from his grasp. “I’m fine.”

“Sorry.” Eren repeats, sounded almost painfully genuine. “And, shit, your papers… let me help.”

“No, that’s—“ But Eren has already crouched down to gather her assignments from the floor. Annie looks around before crouching as well. “You don’t have to help.” She says hastily.

“It was my fault…” Eren picks up an assignment and reads her name from the top of the page. “…Annie.” He smiles at her and she feels her entire stomach flip. “It’s the least I can do.”

Annie keeps her lips pursed even as a blush rises on her cheeks. “…Thanks.” She says, as they reach for the same folder simultaneously. Their hands brush. Annie can scarcely breath.

Suddenly, the door to the classroom swings open.

“Ms. Leonhart.”

The two teens look up towards the voice. At the doorway stands a man in slacks and a tie, holding a piece of chalk. He has sandy blond hair, a neat mustache and beard, and wire-rimmed glasses. Though he addressed Annie, the hateful glare on his face is aimed directly at Eren. 

_Dad…?_ Eren almost says the word out loud. The man’s resemblance to his father is almost eerie.

The instructor pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “This is the second time in four days you’ve been late to my class.”

Annie quickly gathers her papers into a large pile. “I’m sorry, Professor Fritz.”

“Hey, it was my fault.” Eren gets to his feet hastily, compiling his own stack together. “I—“

“Of _course_ it was your fault.” The glare the professor gives Eren doubles in intensity. Eren almost recoils. “Ms. Leonhart, gather your things and _get in here._ ”

The professor slams the door shut.

Annie follows the order, shoving her papers back into the binder then taking Eren’s stack without another word. She slips into the classroom, leaving Eren alone and irritated in the hallway.

**-x-**

The rest of the day passes without incident, aside from some beefy blond knocking Eren into a row of lockers right before 5th period. Ordinarily, he would retaliate. However, the _new_ Eren is determined to make the football team and impress Levi, so he just brushes himself off and walks the other way.

At 7:50 PM, Eren slams his locker door shut and heads out to the south field. Lining the wall of the hallway toward the player’s entrance are photos of Saint Sina’s soccer teams, from 1965 up until the present. Eren skims the photos and the names beneath them, until one name catches his eye.

It’s his own; or rather, the last name is. _Zeke Yeager_ is listed as a one of the players on the team fifteen years ago. Eren pauses by the picture. He looks for the corresponding face in the photo, expecting to find someone with a slight resemblance towards him; but all he sees is a scrawny scowling blond teenager sporting jersey #8.

Eren moves on, reflecting on how his surname may be less uncommon than he thought. Humming lowly, he ventures down the hall towards the exit.

When he gets outside, Eren finds the field deserted. 

He slows his jog to a stop in the center, bewildered. He’s certain Levi had said Monday at 8. Maybe there was a different south field somewhere? He instinctively reaches for his phone to text Connie, then remembers that he left it in his locker.

And, no-- there was only one south field. The other two were named after Alumni, as Eren remembers from Ymir’s prattling during his first day tour. Disappointment begins to build up inside of him, and he turns to go back to the locker room.

Another prank, then. He had been wrong about Levi. _I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up._ Eren thinks angrily as his fists clench at his sides. He drags his feet across the grass, kicking at a dirt clod. _Fuck this miserable school._

Suddenly, the floodlights go out abruptly.

The field is left in total darkness. And the only thing Eren can hear is two sets of feet, charging towards him from opposite directions.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uugh last chapter was riddled with errors :'( hopefully i caught them all! thanks for being so patient w me!! i love this chapter & i love all of you who like this fic!! <3

Eren has no time to react. What feels like a brick wall slams into him from the side, sending them both skidding across soft grass and dirt. They come to a stop a short distance away, and the heavy figure uses his knees to pin Eren’s arms to the ground.

“Ahh—” Struggling to sit up, Eren is struck by a hard blow. He chokes on a yell as his head bounces back against the grass. Another punch, then another. Left side, right side, left. _Shit._ Eren feels one of his canines knocked out of place. _SHIT_. His body is slower to react than usual- but with his arms pinned there isn’t much he can do. Helpless, all he can see are the attacker’s knuckles as they crash into his face over and over.

“Christ, don’t fucking kill him, you idiot.”

The figure on top of him pauses, then sits back at the sound of the voice. Eren nearly spits out the blood streaming into his mouth, but then has a better idea. He goes limp just as his assailant turns towards the approaching figure.

“I’m not gonna kill h—oh, shit.” His attacker says. Eren doesn’t move as a pair of white trainers stop inches away from his face. The newcomer crouches down, and Eren catches a whiff of fresh soap and a familiar, slightly floral anti-perspirant.

 _The girl from earlier…_ Eren wills his body not to react to the realization. He feels a cool hand sweep his bangs from his face.

“Don’t tell me he’s out already.” The deep voice of the person straddling him laughs. “This the guy who gave you so much trouble? What a wimp.”

“Shut up.” The girl says. 

Eren feels the weight on his arms ease; he prepares himself for an opportunity. The figure atop him is still chuckling. “Guess this little bitch was no match for— “

WHAM. Eren slams his knee up into the attacker’s crotch, wrenching his arm free at the same time. His attacker lets out a high-pitched cry as Eren’s arm shoots out to grab the girl’s ankle. With a hard yank, he sends her crashing to the ground.

Eren springs to his feet, bruised and bloody and howling mad. He spits his tooth out on the ground and assumes a defensive stance just as the smaller figure rises behind him. 

“Reiner, you idiot.” Is all she says before lunging. Eren blocks a roundhouse that came seemingly out of nowhere, but his attempt to counter fails to connect. He can hardly see out of his swelling left eye, but defends against her blows and kicks as best as he can in the dark.

“ _WHY- ARE – YOU- DOING- THIS?_ ” Eren shouts as he blocks punch after kick. “I’VE NEVER—" He ducks to avoid another kick, and sees an opening. A sharp jab to her midsection has the assailant gasping, but before Eren can follow through he is grabbed from behind by his initial attacker.

Eren struggles and bites down as hard as he can on the forearm wrapped across his shoulders. He tastes blood and allows his teeth to sink in further, until the figure holding him howls. Using all his weight, Eren find purchase on the grass and shoves backwards, sending the big guy crashing down for a second time. 

Before he can stand up he’s grabbed again, this time in a chokehold by the female attacker. She slams him to the ground and tightens her grip around his neck. Gasping for breath, Eren remembers the noise she made before, and slams his elbow back into her midsection, then again and again until she groans weakly and loosens her hold. She’s easier to toss off than Reiner was.

Vision swimming, Eren now staggers to his feet. The girl is unmoving on the grass below him. A short distance away, the larger attacker is on his knees, clutching his arm. Eren stumbles over, pulls his leg back, and kicks him as hard as he can across the face.

The body crumbles to the grass. Eren kicks him again, and again, until he’s dragged backwards by an unknown hand. He whirls around, throwing an off-center punch, but his fist is caught and then released. 

“Relax.” A voice says in his ear. “That’s enough. Let’s go before someone sees you.”

Eren complies while hardly registering the words. He allows himself to be pulled from the field, his ears ringing, smears of blood obscuring his vision. He’s guided all the way from the bleachers to the locker room entrance before realizing the source of the voice- Levi Ackerman.

Wait.

_Levi was the one who told me about the practice… to show up at exactly that time…_

Eren’s rage boils over once more. In one move he tears his arm from the upperclassman’s grasp and slams him against the wall, crowding him in.

“You set me up?” Eren growls hotly in Levi’s face, their foreheads millimeters apart.

Levi doesn’t flinch.

“Yeah. I did.”

Eren sees red. He draws back his fist-- but before he can strike, Levi reaches up and grabs his ear, pulling hard. Eren hisses in pain; he hadn’t realized the cartilage had split.

“You can be mad if you want,” Levi starts calmly, unthreatened by Eren’s panting, blood-splattered form. “But the whole school wants to see you gone, and they won’t stop until you’re out-- one way or another.”

 _The whole school…_ Eren recalls the hateful glare of the professor from that afternoon, after he had crashed into… the girl who turned out to be his attacker. He remembers the silence of the cafeteria workers, the night guards who assumed he was a threat to Historia, the needling echo of her words:

_Newsflash, Eren: You don’t deserve to be here!_

It finally dawns on Eren— there is no place left for him. Not at this school, not at home, not with Mikasa or Armin. 

The realization leaves him ice cold. He wants to scream or cry. He wants to find his father and pummel him for caging Eren in this hellhole, for abandoning him following his mother’s death, for making him become this monster and then punishing him for it.

But his father isn’t here. Eren only has himself, now.

With a defeated noise, his fist slams against the wall besides Levi’s head. _“Why…?”_

“Because you’re abnormal.” Levi releases his ear. The upperclassman’s finger then traces the curve of the shell before trailing down across Eren’s cheek. Eren blinks in shock at the strange caress. “But…”

Levi flicks a bit of blood from Eren’s face, then drops his hand. “…I’m abnormal too. I guess you could say we’re the same.”

“W-what do you mean?” Eren is suddenly hyper-aware of their proximity, of what he must look like compared to Levi’s cool exterior.

“I mean _you_.” Levi’s eyes flash with invitation. Something other than adrenaline begins to pulse through Eren’s body. “Out there. Fighting for your right to survive no matter what.”

“You… you’re not afraid of me?” Eren rubs absently at his mouth. 

Levi leans up until they’re hardly a breath apart, his hooded gaze locked onto Eren’s. “Do I… _look_ afraid?”

Eren stares. His fist unfurls and moves to Levi’s face. Unconsciously mirroring his classmate’s actions, he trails his own fingers down Levi’s cheek before taking a firm hold of his jaw. Levi’s lips part; without breaking eye contact, he bares his teeth and swipes his tongue against the top row. Eren has never _seen_ anything so sexy.

Levi’s back hits the wall for a second time. Their mouths clash hungrily beneath the flickering fluorescent lighting. Tasting the inside of the gorgeous upperclassman’s mouth has Eren’s heart beating harder than it was just minutes ago on the field. Levi seems to enjoy it just as much, despite bits of Eren's blood flavoring their kiss. Eren pushes closer, and when his thigh nudges between Levi’s the older male’s hips roll into his. Eren moans, and Levi bites his lip in response. Eren bites back. It’s painful and thrilling and _exactly_ what Eren didn’t know he needed.

Surrendering to his own impulses, Eren grasps Levi’s hips and, after feeling no resistance, lifts him up against the wall. Levi makes a noise in his throat and locks his legs around Eren’s waist, threading his hands through the boy’s hair. The kiss grows wetter, more bruising; they become so consumed by lust and adrenaline that neither male notices the figure standing nearby until they clear their throat.

“Don’t let me interrupt you guys, or anything.”

Eren pulls away from Levi’s mouth with growl. Majorly annoyed by the disturbance, he turns and glares at the newcomer, who is slim and sporting glasses and a messy updo.

“Easy, tiger.” The stranger chuckles, holding up their hands. “There’s still a guard passing through… and I’m sure at least _one_ of you doesn’t want to get caught.”

“Let me down.” Levi says, and despite how badly he wants to continue Eren instantly obeys. With a quick tucking of his shirt and adjustment of his hair, Levi looks as if nothing had happened.

“I’m Hanji.” The stranger says. “Let’s get you patched up.”

**-x-**

Still reeling from the events of the evening, Eren is led to an unmarked office behind the locker room. Hanji unlocks the door and instructs Eren to shower in a stall by the back. Eren gets in, and the second the warm water hits his skin he releases a groan he didn’t know he was holding.

He’s crashing hard from the fight, spacing out as he numbly passes a bar of soap across his face and chest. Beneath the spray of the water, Eren can hear Levi and Hanji engage in what seemed like a heated discussion. He doesn’t know what to make of them, but anyone who introduces themselves instead of attacking him is already okay in Eren’s book. And if they’re a friend of Levi’s… wait, is Levi on his side? Or not? And what the hell did that kiss mean? _And why did it have to end…_ Eren’s thoughts start to wander, but he snaps out of it before his body can begin to react. He turns the water cold for a few seconds before shutting off the spray.

He towels off behind a screen and is tossed a pair of the school’s athletic shorts. After he emerges, Hanji instructs him to sit up on the exam table. As he moves, Levi eyes him blatantly from across the room; Eren tries not to blush. _He really is into me, huh…_

Hanji approaches with a tray of tools and gauze. 

“Don’t worry, they’re sterilized.” They say, before wrenching Eren’s mouth open and peering inside with a flashlight. “Huh, strange.”

“OoAgh?” Eren asks, as she continues to poke around in his mouth.

“Levi says you lost a tooth during the scuffle.” Hanji responds. “But unless I’m missing something, it seems like all of your pearly whites are in place…”

“Are you an idiot?” Levi says from his place against the door. “I saw it get knocked out.”

“It probably came from one of Erwin’s lapdogs—I mean, Eren’s attackers.” Hanji says, clicking off the light and removing their hand from Eren’s mouth.

“That doesn’t make any sense. I felt the gap. Check the left side.”

All Eren wants now is to pass out in his bed. Hopefully an explanation will allow that to happen. “Uh, guys— “

“I trust my eyes more than I trust your… _adulterous_ tongue, Levi.” Hanji shoots back, an edge to their lighthearted tone.

Levi growls and pushes up from the door, coming face-to-face with Hanji. “Your shitty eyes obviously need to be checked, moron.”

“Guys!” Eren says loudly.

“ _What?_ ” They both turn to look at him. 

Eren brushes his hair back from his left ear. Steam emits from where the split is healing; in front of Hanji and Levi’s wide eyes the wound closes up neatly without leaving a mark.

Hanji is speechless. Levi says, “Are you kidding me?” But there’s something akin to fascination in his voice. 

“It’s my tooth. But I don’t need it anymore.” Eren shrugs. “I, uh… I have a condition.”


	6. Chapter 6

Rumors fly around nonstop the next morning. Whispers about blood on the south field. Abundant guesswork regarding Reiner Braun’s sudden in-school suspension. Annie Leonhart, absent from her morning classes for the very first time, _ever_. Around 11, someone reports that the psycho new kid is missing as well, and by lunchtime the entire campus is wild with speculation.

Connie drops his lunch tray on the table and sits down with a huff. Sasha offers a sympathetic look she tears into a sandwich. Connie scarcely has the opportunity to take a bite of his own before he’s tapped on the shoulder for what must have been the 10th time that hour.

He slams his hand on the table. “For the last fucking time, I don’t know where—OUCH.”

“Don’t curse at my girlfriend, baldy.” Ymir says, pinching his ear tight between two fingers. She drops her tray to Connie’s left, while Historia takes the seat across, next to Sasha. “Look, we know you got the details. So spill.”

“I don’t know jack shit. I haven’t seen Eren since yesterday morning.” Connie grumbles, pulling away from her grip. “No one’s been near his room. I tried calling but his phone’s off.”

“Damn.” Ymir curses. “I would’ve thought you had the inside scoop.”

“Afraid not, so you can leave now.”

“Are you kidding? You’re still the only person here who _would_ know anything. I’m not leaving your side until I get the gossip I crave.”

Connie shoots a pleading look towards Historia. She shrugs. “What? I wanna know, too.”

“Besides, if the rumors are true, there’s gonna be a vacancy on your floor reeeall soon. So, who do I have to talk to about getting Jeager’s single?” Ymir asks gleefully. “I’m pretty sick of my roommate leaving her shit everywhere.”

“If he really got expelled, I’m calling first dibs.” Sasha takes a long slurp from her soda, knowing just how much it annoys Historia.

“What? No way. If anything, Connie should get dibs if Yeager got expelled.” Historia says, forever the patron saint of fairness.

 Ymir snorts. “Hell no! Connie practically lives alone, anyway.”

“I’m not taking Eren’s room.” Connie says. “He’s not expelled.”

“Please. The kid’s done for.” Ymir scoffs. “Everyone’s heard most of what happened by now; he tried attacking Annie Leonhart last night by the south field. That dumbass Braun jock saw what was happening and got involved. Now he’s got a sprained neck and Annie’s in a friggin’ _coma._ What do you think that means for your friend?”

“We don’t know what really happened on the field.” Connie remains unconvinced.

“Don’t be an idiot. Even if Eren was set up, how does it look to the rest of the school? You think Annie knocked herself out?”

“No, but Eren could be knocked out too.”

“He wasn’t in the Hospital Wing this morning.” Historia reports. “Only Annie and Reiner were.”

“See? He’s probably already packed his bags.” Ymir shakes her head with faux solemnness, grabbing a handful of fries from Sasha’s plate, making the other girl screech. “I tried to warn that little idiot.”

“You did your best, baby.” Historia coos, prompting an eyeroll from Connie.

Sasha slides her tray away from Ymir’s grasp. “Better than you thought, even.”

“No need to kiss my ass, the fries will do.”

In response, Sasha grabs the sleeve of fries and empties the entire thing into her mouth. Historia grimaces; Connie laughs affectionately. “I’m not ass-kissing.” Sasha says through her mouthful, expression smug at Ymir’s glare. “Eren’s still here.”

“How do you know?” Historia tilts her head to the side.

Sasha swallows and wipes her mouth. “Cause, he just walked in.”

 

**-x-**

 

“You’ve _really_ done it this time, Erwin.”

AD Smith folds his hands on the shiny wood table in front of him, poker face in full force. The Headmaster’s office is a solemn, stately area with high bookshelves and dark mahogany accents. The Academy’s Deans, the athletics heads, and half the board are settled around the table, wearing varying expressions of annoyance over having to show up and make decisions for once. “I’m not sure what you mean, Dean Reiss.”

“The Yeager boy.” Reiss hisses, prompting a murmur of disgust from his colleagues. “Your department was tasked with running him out. But instead—”

A heavy transcript is slammed onto the table. “You put him on _the football team_.”

“That is correct.”

“What the hell were you thinking?” Willy Tybur, one of the youngest and richest trustees in the room, speaks up from his position at the Headmaster’s left. “This is just unacceptable. We were mistaken to think you could handle a project such as this.”

“Respectfully, Mr. Tybur… Yeager is still being handled. We’ve just decided to go with alternative methods.” Erwin has a way of speaking that made others want to believe him first and question him second. Unfortunately, the Academy’s trustees and admins are all too familiar with it by now. Levi wonders if he can really pull it off this time.

“How?” Dean Zackley asks. “We wanted you to get rid of him, not _assimilate_ him. How do you think this will reflect upon our school?”

“Very well,” Erwin’s blue eyes flash with excitement. “Once we win this year’s football championship.”

There’s more murmuring around the table. Pixis, another Trustee, strokes his mustache with interest. “Our team hasn’t taken a championship in 10 years, despite Shadis’ best efforts. What makes you think this boy can even play?”

“I’ve seen him.” Levi speaks up from his position next to Erwin; arms crossed, chair tipped back. “Hanji saw, too. He doesn’t need to know how to play. The kid _doesn’t stay down._ ”

“Why should we believe you without proof? I swear, Erwin.” Dean Reiss shakes his head, turning his mistrust back to the AD. “You keep coming up with these outlandish ideas, at the expense of our school. Far too much leeway has been given to you, you and that bespectacled science frea—”

The tip of a pen is suddenly firmly embedded in the table before Reiss. He jerks backward in alarm.

“Watch what you say about them.” Levi cuts him a bored glare.

“Th-this is exactly what I mean!” Reiss sputters, looking to the other board members for support.

“You were disrespecting my friend, and the man who recruited me.” Levi monotones. “You’re entitled to your opinion. But so am I. And it’s my opinion that maybe I shouldn’t play for a school so willing to insult my friends. Is that what you want?”

“N-no, of course not.” Reiss mumbles hastily, now on the receiving end of a few glares from across the table.

Why don’t we all just settle down.” Erwin says. “Though, Levi does bring up a fair point. I should remind you all that the last gamble I took paid off handsomely.”

“This is a different situation, Erwin.” Headmaster Magath speaks finally, having heard enough of both sides. “His father is an enemy to the school.”

“In theory only.” Erwin counters. “Look at the reality: Grisha Yeager has all but _gifted_ Saint Sina’s with both of his immensely talented sons. Despite the unfortunate circumstances of this last admission… we would be careless, to let this opportunity go by.”

The board sits in a peevish silence, unable to refute Erwin’s words. Levi observes the telltale shine of Erwin’s eyes; the expression he takes on only when he knows he has his target swayed.

“In addition, running Jeager out of the school has cost us more resources that it’s worth. My best fighter, in the hospital. Shadis’ head quarterback, out for the next 4 weeks. This is how successful we’ve been with the old strategy. Shouldn’t we try something new?”

Magath steeples his fingers. With a deep sigh, he turns to Coach Shadis. “Keith… you are okay with this?”

Shadis nods. “I trust Erwin’s judgement. If the kid could survive a direct beating from Braun _and_ Leonhart, we’d be fools to aggravate him any further… for the time being.”

“I agree.” Magath confirms definitively, eliciting a round of dissenting noises from the others around the table. “Let’s see what he can do. But Erwin, if this goes south… Dr. Zoe’s funding is the first to be cut.”

Erwin nods. “Understood.”

The headmaster turns his gaze to Levi. “And as for you…”

“How many trophies you want this season?”

With a satisfied look, Magath turns to the forms in front of him. He signs the bottom of the top two pages before closing the folder and passing it down the table to Erwin.

“Thank you, Headmaster.” Erwin can barely keep the smug smile from spreading across his face. “You’ll see your results soon.”

“For your sake, we had better. This meeting is adjourned.” 

 

**-x-**

 

“So,” Levi says. They’re walking side by side down the hallway back towards Erwin’s office. Levi has ‘accidently’ brushed his hand against Erwin’s three times by now, hoping the man would grab and squeeze briefly like he used to. Instead Erwin is busied by his phone, already on to the next project, his next scheme. “You think me and this kid are in the same league?”

“Of course not, Levi.” But then Erwin pauses in the hallway, making Levi stop short as well. A strange expression passes across his face. “Though you have to admit…. his presence here does make for some great excitement. Just look at how upset the board members were.”

Levi stares, as an uneasy feeling washes over him. _Is that why you brought me here, too? For excitement?_   “You’ve got a creepy look on your face.”

“My apologies.”

Levi, on a whim, decides to push the issue for once. “You haven’t been to one of my matches in a while, you know.”

Erwin glances at Levi, not expecting the complaint. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been so terribly busy—”

“-Stop. I know that already, and that wasn’t what I meant anyway.” Levi doesn’t know why he’s feeling so bold all of a sudden. “You’re not in a position to compare us if you don’t even know where I’m at right now. And me and the kid are _not_ in the same league.”

“Ah—okay.” Erwin’s pleased expression morphs into one of confusion, and he looks a little miffed that Levi’s outburst had that effect on his mood. “I won’t compare you two again.”

“Good.”

“Though, that’s a terribly odd thing to get upset about…”

Before Levi can respond, Hanji runs up on them. “Well? Did they sign it?” They demand.

Erwin holds up the folder. Hanji snatches it from his hands with a yelp.

“This. Is. Everything!” Their eyes take on a crazed shine. “Just imagine what this means for my research! I gotta tell the kid right away. Come on, loverboy—uh, I mean, Levi.”

They grab Levi’s wrist before he even has time to react to the slip. _Fuckin’ Hanji..._ he thinks, turning back to see if Erwin had heard their remark. Said Director is busied by his phone, completely unaware of the duo’s departure.

 _Of course._ Levi doesn’t know why he expected any sort of reaction. Hanji drags him away, oblivious to Levi’s internal turmoil.

 

 **-x-**

 

A hush falls over the cafeteria. The doors swing shut behind Eren as he strolls unhurriedly over to the serving line. There’s not a single bruise, scratch or scrape visible anywhere on his body.

He picks up a tray as students scramble to move out of his path. Even the servers stare at him with wide eyes, apparently aware of the rumors as well.

“Meatloaf, please.” Eren says.

They slap the food onto the tray and pass it to him. Eren casually surveys the cafeteria, and when he spots Connie and the usual crowd he heads over. The chatter resumes excitedly by the time he takes the empty seat on Sasha’s right; all except for the four students at the table around him, still stunned by his sudden appearance.

“Dude. What. The. Fuck.”

“What’s up?” Eren asks innocently, shoveling a forkful of meatloaf into his mouth.

“Whaddya mean, _what’s up_?” Ymir looks like she could throttle him. “Are you fucking kidding? What happened last night?”

Eren shrugs. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Connie, Ymir, Sasha and Historia all exchange bewildered glances.

“Eren…” Historia says carefully. “There’s all sorts of rumors going around. Did you get into a fight on the south field last night?”

“Nope.” Eren says. “I was at football tryouts.”

“FOOTBALL TRY—” Ymir starts to yell, but then cuts herself off with a disbelieving laugh. “Okay, I get it now. You’ve officially lost it.”

“Eren, who gets your room when you get expelled?” Sasha asks.

“Huh? Why I would be getting expelled..?”

“Argh, you little--!” Ymir makes to launch herself across the table so she can grab the neck of Eren’s hoodie; she’s caught by her own collar and yanked back down to her seat. “Who the hell—” Fully riled up now, she turns and jumps to her feet—only to hastily sit back down. “— _Ack._ Coach Ackerman!”

“And—Dr. Zoe.” Historia chimes in, the charm turned way up. “Um, what can we do for you?”

“You can tell your girlfriend to keep her hands to herself, for starters.” Levi says. “Detention for you, Ymir.”

“What? Coach, why?”

“For putting your hands on a fellow SSA athlete, that’s why.”

“Fellow ATHLETE??” Ymir squawks, while Historia attempts to calm her down. Sasha and Connie adopt similar expressions of disbelief.

Bearing a wide grin, Hanji tosses the green folder onto the table. “Congratulations, Yeager.”

Eren reaches for the folder, pulling out the documents while barely acknowledging them. “Thanks.” His eyes are fixed on Levi, as if everyone around them had ceased to exist. The fact that he got the shit kicked out of him last night has already faded to an afterthought; though his regenerative abilities made it easier for him to forget in the face of the overwhelming desire he felt towards Levi.

Eren wants to taste the older boy’s mouth again, _badly._ His dreams last night were nothing short of pornographic. Those few blissful minutes they spent pressed against one another loop themselves over and over in his mind. Eren can’t think of anything else; he doesn’t _want_ to. It was the first time since he got to this godforsaken school that he truly felt alive. Being with Levi was a release he didn’t know he absolutely _needed_ ; and now Eren can’t get enough.

Levi, in the meantime, has thought of several other things to berate Ymir about, but when he finally realizes Eren’s staring he returns the look with a sharp glare. It does nothing to change Eren’s line of thought; rather, the upperclassman’s full attention draws a wolfish grin to Eren's face. Levi purses his lips subtly in return, and Eren finds himself lost to his thoughts all over again.

“ _Eren.”_ It’s Hanji’s disapproving voice that finally snaps Eren out of it. He returns his attention to the documents in his hands; Ymir, Sasha, Historia, and Connie are crowding over one another to read them. Atop the small stack is a letter from Coach Shadis congratulating Eren on being admitted to the team.

The letter is signed by Shadis, AD Smith, and Headmaster Magath. _Wow._ Eren allows himself to be stunned for a moment.

“Coach Shadis needs these signed and returned by noon tomorrow. Next practice is on Thursday, and your first game is in two weeks. You got that?”

“Yeah, got it.” Eren meets their gaze determinedly. “Thank you, Dr. Zoe.”

That crazy gleam appears in Hanji’s eye again. “Our pleasure.”

“Don’t disappoint us, Yeager.” Levi adds, as close to a murmur as anything.

The other students hastily go back to minding their business as the revered duo passes through to the exit. Eren watches the movement of Levi’s hips until they disappear through the doors, then turns to find his tablemates staring at him, openmouthed.

“What. The fuck.” Ymir says.

Eren shrugs again, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Told you I didn’t get expelled.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are about to get... messy. (:


End file.
